AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a roundtable discussion at Houston Methodist Hospital on Tuesday to highlight his legislative priorities to ensure a healthier future for the state of Texas.
During the roundtable, the Governor and staff members from Houston Methodist discussed strategies to build a healthier Texas during and after the pandemic. They also discussed plans to ensure the ongoing availability of personal protective equipment, expand telehealth communications, and meet the mental health needs of fellow Texans.
The Governor noted that Texas leads the nation in vaccine administration and attributed the achievement to frontline health care workers, the expansion of vaccine eligibility to Texans 65 years and older, and the establishment of mass vaccination centers throughout the state. Many Texas counties, however, are still receiving a significantly lower number of doses than residents registering to be vaccinated. Governor Abbott said the state’s limitations fall on an inadequate supply of vaccine at the Federal level. But he remains hopeful that the situation will change with anticipated approval of vaccines by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.
“Dr. Fauci said that we should be weeks, not months, away from getting additional vaccines,” he said.
Governor Abbott also discussed the state’s efforts to reduce hospitalizations by expanding access to antibody therapeutic drugs and establishing therapeutic infusion centers throughout the state.
“Texas is a leader in the fight against COVID-19, and I’m proud that the Lone Star State has administered more vaccines than any other state in the nation,” said Governor Abbott. “Our success would not be possible without the men and women working tirelessly on the frontlines to get more shots in arms to keep Texans safe. As we continue to ramp up our vaccination efforts, Texas will work with our public and private partners to reduce hospitalizations, mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and ensure a healthier future for the Lone Star State.”
According to the Governor, more than 1.7 million vaccine doses have been delivered to providers across Texas. He said the state has administered over 1.3 million doses that have been successfully reported into ImmTrac2, the state’s immunization registry.
Texas has also provided 487,500 doses for nursing homes and long term care facilities, which are administered by CVS and Walgreens.
Texas has established additional vaccine hub locations, bringing the total number to 77. This week, Texas is slated to receive its largest supply of vaccines totaling 843,000.
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